Morris Dancing

Morris dancers can be seen everywhere during the Celtic summer at various festivals throughout the British Isles. The Puritan writer, Philip Stubbs had something to say about the Morris dance, often referred to as 'the dance of the devil'.

'They bedeck themselves with scarves, strings and laces hanged all over with golde rings, precious stones and other jewels: This they tie abouteeither legge 20 or 40 belles with riche handkerchiefs in their handes and sometyme laide across their shoulders and necks, borrowed for the moste parte of their prettie Mopsies and lovying Bessies for busying them in the darke. These thyngs sette in order, they have their hobbie horses, dragons and other antiques, together with their bawdy pipers and thunderying drummers to sricke up the Devil's dance...'

The earlist records of Morris dancing date back to the 15th century with one school of thought saying that it originated from a court jester's dance whilst another states that it was a dance performed by Spanish Arabs, i.e the Moors, of which Morris is a derivative.

Holy Wells

The Bronze and Iron Age people saw water as having supernatural powers, whilst its mysterious, dark depths were seen as the entrance to the underworld. People felt compelled to make offerings to the Deities, which they believed inhabited these sacred places, a fact that has been evidenced by many archaeological finds. Items such as jewellery, plaques, coins and animal and human remains have all been discovered in these watery places where springs mysteriously burst forth from the land and were no doubt the wishing wells of early man.

Springs and wells were also seen as places of healing, of communing with the Gods, of worship, of purification and divination. There was however, a darker side to some requests thrown into the waters as findings from the Celtic/Roman shrine of Sulis Minerva in Bath show, for here lay plaques that not only had for healing but many were inscribed with curses and hexes.

Perhaps little changes within the human psyche over millennia after all?

The festival of Imbolc

Sundown today sees the beginning of the Celtic festival of Imbolc, although in truth, the Celts did not have a fixed date, but celebrated in style as soon as the lambing season began. Imbolc was a time of the utmost importance to the Celtic tribes as the quality and amount of new born lambs meant the difference between survival and extinction.

The word Imbolc (pronounced 'im-olc') actually means 'in the belly' and refers to the stirring of life within the earth's womb. An alternative term for this festival is 'Oimelc', meaning 'the first flowing of ewe's milk, both of which are appropriate words for this exciting time of year.

When christianity came to these islands this festival became 'Candlemas' and commemorated the time when Mary went to the temple to undertake a purification ceremony forty days after the birth of Jesus.

Imbolc is still celebrated by Pagans and witches alike today and has become synonymous with the delightful Celtic Goddess Bride (christianised as St Bridget), who I will look at in greater detail as the week progresses.

Enjoy celebrating over the next few days. Decorate your home with white flowers and candles and arrange to share an Imbolc meal with friends or family to celebrate the return of the Goddess and the eternal hope of spring.

The Harvest Festival

The harvest season began of course back in August with the harvesting of the corn at which point we gave thanks to our Celtic ancestors for the festival of Lughnasadh (see earlier blog). The later Saxons brought with them the festival of Hlaefmass meaning 'loaf festival' where the loaf made from the first cut of the corn was crumbled and placed in the four corners of the barn to ensure a fruitful harvest in the year to come and to protect the gathered crops.

When Christianity came to these islands the festival soon died out as it was seen as having nothing to do with the life of Christ. Therefore the church remained without such a festival until the year 1843 when the Reverend Hawker, the eccentric Vicar of Morwenstowe church high up on the North Cornish coast, reinstated the festival following a fruitful harvest after several years of failed crops, in order to give thanks to God.

As we sit down at our tables laden with food this autumn consider offering a silent word of thanks not only to our Celtic and Saxon ancestors but also to the Reverend Hawker for reinstating an ancient and worthwhile festival

The Festival of Beltane

Sunset on the 30th April heralds the Celtic festival of Beltane, the beginning of summer. It is a joyous festival and celebrates the gift of life in all its forms, from the gathering of greenery to decorate and protect homes, to making love in the woods until dawn. Many Pagans enact the marriage of the God and Goddess in their Beltane rituals which symbolises the masculine sun and the female earth, the union of which will hopefully result in an abundant earth as we move into the warmth and beauty of summer.

Celebrate this coming weekend by attending one of the many May Day festivals that are held around the country, perhaps the Green Man Festival in Clun Shropshire or the classic and evocative 'Obby 'Oss festival in Padstow Cornwall.

Whatever you decide to do for May Day however, make sure you celebrate the joy of life.